The Northern Illinois Huskies take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday, Sept. 5. Kickoff is set for 4:15 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.
Iowa is favored by -31.5 points on the spread with no moneyline odds. Northern Illinois, meanwhile, enters as a +31.5 underdog and is +5000 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at total 44.5 points.
Here’s my Northern Illinois vs. Iowa prediction and college football picks for Saturday, September 5.
Northern Illinois vs Iowa Prediction
- Northern Illinois vs. Iowa Pick: Over 44.5
My Iowa vs. Northern Illinois best bet is on the over. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Northern Illinois vs Iowa Odds
| Northern Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+31.5 -110 | 44.5 -115o / -105u | +5000 |
| Iowa Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-31.5 -110 | 44.5 -115o / -105u | |
- Northern Illinois vs Iowa point spread: Iowa -31.5 (-110), Northern Illinois +31.5 (-110)
- Northern Illinois vs Iowa over/under: 44.5 (-115o / -105u)
- Northern Illinois vs Iowa moneyline: Northern Illinois +5000, Iowa N/A
Northern Illinois vs Iowa College Football Preview
Northern Illinois Huskies Betting Preview: Long Road Ahead
Northern Illinois will be dealing with a tremendous amount of change this season.
The former MAC darlings are off to the Mountain West with a schedule featuring new conference opponents. The Huskies will be navigating these changes with a new head coach after Thomas Hammock bolted for the NFL.
Rob Harley was elevated from his defensive coordinator role, and he took over late in the process after the February recruiting wave had taken place.
The quarterback situation was dire, but FCS transfer Taron Dickens gives this offense a fighting chance with his dual-threat playmaking ability.
Dickens was an incredible player at Western Carolina last year, throwing for 3,508 yards with 38 touchdowns against just two interceptions. He also added 482 rushing yards before sacks.
Dickens' ability to escape pressure and create on the move will be much needed this season.
Telly Johnson Jr. returns at running back after producing last year, while DeAree Rogers and Rickey Taylor Jr. give the Huskies some viable options at receiver.
The offensive line returns two starters from last season, but the transfer infusion was pulled from the D-II level, and many of the pieces are young and inexperienced.
The Northern Illinois defense will be way down from prior seasons. The unit returns zero starters from last year’s middling MAC unit, and 18 of the top 21 tacklers from last season are gone.
The defensive front is thin, and there are many transfers who were pulled from the D-II, NAIA and lower-level FCS ranks. Six players scheduled to start are either freshmen or sophomores, as all three levels of the defense are vastly inexperienced.
This is going to be a long year for Northern Illinois defensively.
Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Preview: A Well-Oiled Machine
Iowa has been one of the most stable, consistent and productive programs in all of FBS over the last 20 years, with exceptional line play and a strong running game.
The system consistently produces NFL offensive and defensive linemen, but there's some excitement surrounding the offense this season behind a highly anticipated quarterback battle.
Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown are locked in a QB battle that has yet to be decided. Both will play against NIU on Saturday.
Brown is the prototypical pocket-passing quarterback, while Hecklinski has mobility and the attitude you want to see from a kid who's going to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Both quarterbacks will have no issue handing the ball to Kamari Moulton or L.J. Phillips Jr., who provide an excellent running back tandem.
Moulton ran for 897 yards last year and Phillips was one of the most electric running backs in the FCS last year, running for 1,920 yards at South Dakota.
The receiver room is down a notch, but Reece Vander Zee is a reliable option, and Tony Diaz has been all the rage out of fall camp after transferring in from UTRGV.
Tight end DJ Vonnahme will impact the game when it comes to blocking and receiving as well.
The offensive line returns just two starters from last season, but the program has a proud history of offensive line development and should find a combination that works for this offense to have success.
The defense returns just three starters and a completely new defensive line. While down a few notches overall, the defensive line will likely develop into a solid unit as the season moves along.
Two linebackers will be elevated from last year’s second platoon to join Jayden Montgomery to round out the starting unit.
The secondary returns three starters from last season, and transfers from James Madison and Robert Morris round out the unit.
Northern Illinois vs Iowa Pick, Betting Analysis
This line opened with Iowa listed as a 31.5-point favorite with the total set at 44.5. I like this game to be higher-scoring.
Iowa will run the football with a high level of efficiency, and the Hawkeyes will rack up explosive plays against Northern Illinois. The Huskies are undersized in the defensive trench, and the transfer talent is way down.
Even if Iowa isn't overly urgent on offense, the Hawkeyes will gash NIU in the run game, and any third-down situations will be executed with short-yardage requirements.
The pass game should be effective here, and I like that Iowa is still in a QB battle. We should get the Hawkeyes running their offense and throwing passes deep into the fourth quarter in an attempt to settle that competition.
Dickens will make some plays in the second half and lead a scoring drive or two. This game should go over the total, and Iowa could threaten 45 points itself.
Pick: Over 44.5 (Play to 47.5)
Northern Illinois vs Iowa Betting Trends
